Boston Marathon: Officials balance safety, tradition a year after bombings

On Feb. 28, the Boston Athletic Association announced new rules and security measures for runners. Some of those new rules include:

1. No bags - Runners will not be allowed to b...

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New security rules for runners

On Feb. 28, the Boston Athletic Association announced new rules and security measures for runners. Some of those new rules include:

1. No bags - Runners will not be allowed to bring bags on shuttle buses or carry bags on the course. Gear and clothing may be placed in a clear plastic bag to be picked up at a designated area after the race. Runners may use a fanny pack or standard manufactured fuel belt for food and personal items.

2. Size limits on bottles - Runners can not carry bottles that are bigger than 1 liter. No personal hydration systems (such as a Camelpack) will be allowed.

3. No costumes - No masks at all or costumes that extend beyond the body will be allowed. Also no props or backpacks.

4. No non-official runners - Anybody not wearing an official Marathon bib number at any point on the course will be removed immediately.

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Daily News Staff

After two bombs exploded at the Boston Marathon finish line last year, killing three and injuring more than 260, this year's event will be more focused on security than ever before.

While all are certainly agreed that security has to be a high priority this year, organizers and public safety officials are balancing that need against maintaining the traditionally open nature of the event.

“Their (public safety officials) response to that attack is the same as so many others: They're not going to give in. They're going to make sure that things go forward in the spirit this event has always been conducted, while making sure everyone is safe,” said Tom Grilk, executive director of the Boston Athletic Association.

New security measures will include an increased number of public safety personnel, stricter rules for runners and spectators, and more barriers along the route.

Some new safety procedures for runners have already been announced, including that bags won't be bused from Boston to the Hopkinton starting line as they were in the past, and bags can't be placed along the course. Also, during the race runners are only allowed to have a fanny pack and bottles smaller than one liter.

The association says it will also be cracking down on unofficial participants, commonly known as “bandits.”

Rules for spectators have yet to be released, but public safety officials said there likely will be some given that a record number of people are expected to be out in the crowd.

“We've heard from so many people that there is this sense of resilience, that they want to make perfectly clear they will live their lives no matter what someone tries to do to stop it. This is the essence of Boston Strong,” Grilk said. “For a lot of people, that will mean showing up.”

These rules come after local, state and federal agencies have been meeting under the organization of the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency since August to establish a new and cohesive security plan for the event.

Brookline Police Chief Daniel O'Leary said spectators will see barricades along the entire length of the route in his city, not the rope they've seen in the past.

“We're going to have a lot more personnel, including some in plain clothes walking amongst the crowd,” O'Leary said.

He said they normally place a few security cameras along the route, but there will be many more this year.

“We've approached our plans trying to strike that balance,” O'Leary said. “We want people to come and have fun, we want businesses to have a good day. We want it to be as normal as possible and as safe as possible.”

Page 2 of 3 - Other towns along the course are also hoping to keep the event as open as possible to spectators.

“Our goal is to continue to make the race as family friendly as possible,” said Wellesley Deputy Police Chief Jack Pilecki. “We want to provide as safe an atmosphere as possible and not have everyone know it.”

Pilecki said his department has always been “all hands on deck” for the Marathon, but he said they will have more “assets” working than they have in the past – even if they have to call in mutual aid from surrounding communities.

Police in both Newton and Brookline said there will be increased parking restrictions on the streets around the route, including Commonwealth Avenue in Newton and Beacon Street in Brookline.

There will be substantially more federal support this year, with the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force providing more specialists, including a SWAT team, bomb and weapons of mass destruction specialists, and a crisis response coordinator.

The state National Guard will also be providing more military police officers than in the past. Since the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Guard has sent about 400 soldiers to work the Boston Marathon.

The support is usually a combination of military police, medical personnel and engineering support. This year, however, 300 of the 400 personnel are going to be armed military police. Lt. Col. James Sahady, a National Guard spokesman, stressed that they won't be carrying machine guns or automatic weapons, but they will be armed with pistols.

“Overall, we'll be there to enhance services,” Sahady said. “We could be stationed all along the course. It's wherever they need us.”

In Hopkinton, the town that proudly calls itself home to the starting line of the 26.2-mile race that weaves through six other communities before finishing in Boston, officials are expecting a record number of runners and spectators will see a difference this year.

“We recognize the need for security and have gone to great lengths to provide it for runners and spectators while they're in Hopkinton, but by no means is it going to look like a police state,” said Hopkinton Selectmen Chairman John Mosher.

While Mosher said there are definitely going to be differences, both visible and not, he said they are trying not to change things too drastically.

“We want the event to remain what it is,” Mosher said. “We don't want it to get overshadowed. It really does come down to balance.”

Mosher said he'd be surprised if the town and the entire race didn't see more spectators than ever.

“People are steadfast in their resolve not to let the terrorists win and I think people will come out for that reason,” Mosher said. “There is also a desire to support the people affected last year.”

Page 3 of 3 - Planners said these security changes are similar to those seen at other marathons held around the country and abroad since last year's bombings.

Emily Gallagher, a spokesperson for the New York Road Runners who organize the New York Marathon held in November, said increased security last year didn't change the event.

“Marathon day is New York's biggest block party,” Gallagher said. “We worked hard to ensure that essence remained.”

Gallagher said they did change some security procedures, including searching bags and prohibiting certain items, but said many of the security changes weren't seen by the public.

She said communicating with participants alleviated any delays or problems that would have been caused by the security measures.

“Runners were made aware of the potential delays and planned accordingly,” said Gallagher, who noted there were no major issues at either the start or finish.

A survey of runners following the race found that two-thirds indicated the security measures didn't impact their marathon experience, Gallagher said.

Contact Lindsay Corcoran at 508-634-7582 or lcorcoran@wickedlocal.com. Follow her on Twitter @LacorcMDN.